HARRISBURG -- A former staffer for an affiliate of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now testified today that the organization was provided a "donor list" from the presidential campaign of Barack Obama in late 2007 for fundraising efforts.

Anita Moncrief, a former Washington, D.C. staffer for Project Vote, which she described as a sister organization of ACORN, said her supervisor told her the list of campaign contributors came from the Obama campaign. Moncrief said she has a copy of a "development plan" that outlines how Obama contributors who had "maxed out" under federal contribution limits would be targeted to give to Project Vote, and that it was her job to identify such contributors.

HARRISBURG – A former staffer for an affiliate of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now testified today that the organization was provided a “donor list” from the presidential campaign of Barack Obama in late 2007 for fundraising efforts.

Anita Moncrief, a former Washington, D.C. staffer for Project Vote, which she described as a sister organization of ACORN, said her supervisor told her the list of campaign contributors came from the Obama campaign. Moncrief said she has a copy of a “development plan” that outlines how Obama contributors who had “maxed out” under federal contribution limits would be targeted to give to Project Vote, and that it was her job to identify such contributors.

HARRISBURG – A former staffer for an affiliate of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now testified today that the organization was provided a “donor list” from the presidential campaign of Barack Obama in late 2007 for fundraising efforts.

Anita Moncrief, a former Washington, D.C. staffer for Project Vote, which she described as a sister organization of ACORN, said her supervisor told her the list of campaign contributors came from the Obama campaign. Moncrief said she has a copy of a “development plan” that outlines how Obama contributors who had “maxed out” under federal contribution limits would be targeted to give to Project Vote, and that it was her job to identify such contributors.

Concidering what ACORN is supposed to be, this certainly seems unethical. I wonder if it is illegal?[/quote]

Take a look at Katzenjammer’s post concerning Obama’s website donations. Any connection? Maybe, maybe not. Just interesting that at least this article found the testimony newsworthy. We’ll have to see what, if anything, develops.

HARRISBURG – A former staffer for an affiliate of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now testified today that the organization was provided a “donor list” from the presidential campaign of Barack Obama in late 2007 for fundraising efforts.

Anita Moncrief, a former Washington, D.C. staffer for Project Vote, which she described as a sister organization of ACORN, said her supervisor told her the list of campaign contributors came from the Obama campaign. Moncrief said she has a copy of a “development plan” that outlines how Obama contributors who had “maxed out” under federal contribution limits would be targeted to give to Project Vote, and that it was her job to identify such contributors.

Sweet! By why would he need to cheat? He’s got the mindless droves by the balls…Anybody going to watch his infomercial tonight? I am not…Cocksucker is getting in the way of my continued World series game…Yes, I am watching it…I am a baseball guy.

[quote]pat wrote:
Sweet! By why would he need to cheat? He’s got the mindless droves by the balls…Anybody going to watch his infomercial tonight? I am not…Cocksucker is getting in the way of my continued World series game…Yes, I am watching it…I am a baseball guy.[/quote]

Uh, how is he getting in the way of the game? The game starts at 8:30?

[quote]100meters wrote:
pat wrote:
Sweet! By why would he need to cheat? He’s got the mindless droves by the balls…Anybody going to watch his infomercial tonight? I am not…Cocksucker is getting in the way of my continued World series game…Yes, I am watching it…I am a baseball guy.

Uh, how is he getting in the way of the game? The game starts at 8:30?[/quote]

[quote]Journeyman wrote:
I’m trying to understand this. Is the central issue that Obama is accused of sharing his list of campaign contributors with Acorn? I didn’t realized that a list of contributors is confidential.[/quote]

[quote]dhickey wrote:
Journeyman wrote:
I’m trying to understand this. Is the central issue that Obama is accused of sharing his list of campaign contributors with Acorn? I didn’t realized that a list of contributors is confidential.

They are not supposed to coordinate efforts with PACs.[/quote]

First of all ACORN is a not a PAC, but it does run one. So Obama’s campaign could not coordinate activities with the PAC, but he can share public data with, well… anyone in the public.

The list of individual contributors is 79.5 MB (zipped) and is no more than 48 hours out of date. This is how illegal contributions are found out so quickly. Both sides are looking at the list and checking for Tibetan Buddhist Monks, to pick a random group of foreign nationals who are not allowed to donate, even if they have internet access and a Visa card.

[quote]Journeyman wrote:
dhickey wrote:
Journeyman wrote:
I’m trying to understand this. Is the central issue that Obama is accused of sharing his list of campaign contributors with Acorn? I didn’t realized that a list of contributors is confidential.

They are not supposed to coordinate efforts with PACs.

First of all ACORN is a not a PAC, but it does run one. So Obama’s campaign could not coordinate activities with the PAC, but he can share public data with, well… anyone in the public.

The list of individual contributors is 79.5 MB (zipped) and is no more than 48 hours out of date. This is how illegal contributions are found out so quickly. Both sides are looking at the list and checking for Tibetan Buddhist Monks, to pick a random group of foreign nationals who are not allowed to donate, even if they have internet access and a Visa card.

[/quote]

ACORN does have at least one PAC and it endorses Obama. The critizism is not that they gave confidential information to them. The question is, were they coordinating efforts to target Obama supporters who had maxed out direct campaign contributions.

I don’t know why you have to have everything regurgitated for you. This info is not hard to find. In many cases details you are missing are in this thread.

Again, I gotta wonder how much of that shifted around, and flat out embezzeled, money, went to illegal political activities. Like, oh I don’t know, donations to Obama via untraceable pre-paid cards, through the Obama site (see Katz’s post). Would be convenient for Acorn’s (We have no connection") sister, Project vote, with their list of “maxed out” Obama contributors. Would be a way to get around the “maxed out” problem.

[i]But Ms. Kingsley found that the tight relationship between Project Vote and Acorn made it impossible to document that Project Voteï¿½??s money had been used in a strictly nonpartisan manner. Until the embezzlement scandal broke last summer, Project Voteï¿½??s board was made up entirely of Acorn staff members and Acorn members.

Ms. Kingsleyï¿½??s report raised concerns not only about a lack of documentation to demonstrate that no charitable money was used for political activities but also about which organization controlled strategic decisions.

She wrote that the same people appeared to be deciding which regions to focus on for increased voter engagement for Acorn and Project Vote. Zach Pollett, for instance, was Project Voteï¿½??s executive director and Acornï¿½??s political director, until July, when he relinquished the former title. Mr. Pollett continues to work as a consultant for Project Vote through another Acorn affiliate.[/i]nytimes.com